


False Pretenses

by craterdweller



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Attempted Sexual Assault, Coercion, F/M, Flogging, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Threats of Rape/Non-Con
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-28
Updated: 2017-02-28
Packaged: 2018-09-27 11:37:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,364
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10018745
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/craterdweller/pseuds/craterdweller
Summary: Sam and Jack are taken prisoner. Sam is forced to work on alien technology. Post s07e13 Grace.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Nothing too graphic but warning for triggers to be safe.

Sam heard the familiar beeps of the electronic keypad as someone entered the code to unlock the door. The overpowering stench of cologne announced her visitor well before his grating voice bleated out his smarmy greeting.

“My dearest Samantha. How goes the work on the generator?”

She steeled herself as the Queen’s consort encroached on her personal space. She could feel his arousal press against her as he leaned over her shoulder under the pretense of inspecting what she was working on. She took a step to her right, mentally chastising herself for her carelessness in almost allowing him to trap her against the workbench.

“Joz, the work would go faster if I had Colonel O’Neill’s assistance.”

The large man let out a belly laugh. “Your Colonel has angered my Queen. You should consider yourself lucky she has allowed him to live.”

“I want proof that he is alive. I want to see him.”

“My dearest Samantha, you have my word.” He took a step towards her and reached out his hand as if to caress her.

She took another step back.

“I could make things easier for him. I might even be persuaded to give you a few minutes with him.” His look turned lustful; his eyes undressing her. “If you were nicer to me.”

“Somehow I don’t think the Queen would be too happy.”

Joz moved quickly for such a large man. He locked a meaty hand around Sam’s throat cutting off her air supply as he pushed her against the bench.

She gouged his eye with her left thumb before kneeing him hard in the balls. As he fell to the ground clutching his groin, she moved herself into a better defensive position, grabbing one of the tools from the workbench.

“Your Colonel will pay for that. And I _will_ have you Samantha. One way or the other.”

He stormed out, leaving a shaken Sam.

She threw the tool onto the workbench in frustration. This entire situation was her fault. Jack’s gut had told him there was something off with the Tullians, but she had been too distracted by their seemingly advanced technology. She’d argued they might have something to aid in their fight against Anubis. So he had ordered Daniel and Teal’c to make the twenty klick hike back to the gate to inform General Hammond they would be staying a little longer.

The Queen had personally conducted a tour of their “laboratories” which as it happened, belonged to a race the Tullians had exterminated. In fact, they possessed little scientific knowledge of their own. When Jack refused the Queen’s offer of payment for Sam, the enraged ruler had him thrown into her dungeon. With the Colonel’s life hanging in the balance, Sam was coerced into repairing the main power generator.

She flinched as the door slid open. The guard stepped aside to allow one of the Queen’s servants, a young woman named Nina, to deliver Sam’s lunch. He locked the door behind her before resuming his rounds.

“Are you well, Ms. Sam?”

Sam tried her best reassuring smile, but it didn’t reach her eyes. She pushed the plate of food away.

“You should eat something.”

Sam shook her head. “Have you any word from your husband?”

Nina ducked her head. “Joz has promised I may visit him tomorrow.”

“Nina, why don’t you report him to the Queen. What Joz is making you do …”

“Keeps my Otger safe and well fed. It is a small price, to pleasure him with my mouth.” She tried to act as if if were nothing, but Sam could see the haunted look in Nina’s eyes. She picked up Sam’s plate and placed it on the tray. “Otger tries to share his food with your Jack, but he won’t take it. Your Jack is a good man. He looks after Otger.”

“He can’t stand by while people are mistreated.”

Nina pushed the tray with the plate of fruit back towards Sam. “I think your Jack would want you to eat.”

Sam gave her a small smile and took a few bites.

Ten minutes later the guard returned escorting Nina out. Left alone with her worries, Sam busied herself with repairing the generator.

Hours later, Sam rubbed her eyes and stretched her back. Repairs on the control board were almost complete. Soon the generator would be functional. She dreaded what that would mean for her and Jack. Particularly Jack.

She heard a commotion outside her window. The lab was on the fourth floor, so her captors had not deemed it necessary to seal it. She leaned out to get a better view. A large crowd gathered in the courtyard watched as the guards dragged a disheveled man onto the raised dais. They secured his arms in chains suspended from a large crossbeam, stretching his body into a Y formation. When the guards stepped back she got an unobstructed view of the prisoner. Jack!

She scoured the lab, looking for anything that would help her escape. She spun towards the door as a six man contingent of the Royal Guard, led by the Commander, entered the room. “Samantha Carter, her Royal Highness requests your presence in the courtyard.”

When it looked as if Sam was going to resist, he said softly, “It will be easier on your man if you do not anger the Queen further.”

Sam ceased struggling and allowed them to lead her down below.

“Ah, Samantha. How wonderful. My consort informs me you’ve been demanding to see Colonel O’Neill.” She swept her arm in an imperious arc towards the dais. “You were cautioned that there would be consequences if you continued to defy me. It appears that you need a demonstration.”

The Queen nodded to her Consort who stripped the filthy shirt off Jack’s back. He leaned forward and whispered something in Jack’s ear. From the way Joz was leering at her, Sam guessed it had something to do with her.

Jack raised his head, his eyes finding hers. With as much defiance as he could muster he ordered, “Major, it’s not negotiable. No matter what they do to me.”

Sam swallowed hard before nodding.

“How touching,” the Queen sneered. “Joz, you may begin when ready.”

“For crimes against her Royal Highness, the lawful ruler of Tul, you have been sentenced to thirty lashings with the sonic whip. Let this be a lesson to all who would oppose her Highness.”

From one of the nearby guards, Joz took a long, barbed whip, made of some sort of leather. He thumbed a switch on the handle causing a spark of electricity to course down its length.

Sam locked eyes with Jack, willing him her support. Wincing at every strike she marveled at his strength as he refused to cry out. Joz redoubled his efforts, his last blows striking so hard they knocked Jack to his knees.

When he finally reached thirty, the Commander of the Guard stepped forward, grabbing Joz’s arm. The Queen’s Consort shook him off and moved as if to strike another blow, but the Commander stepped in front of him. “It is done. The punishment has been meted.”

“I say when it is done.” Joz shoved the Commander out of the way and struck Jack hard in the kidneys.

“Enough! Take the prisoner back to his cell. Consort attend me.”

Sam struggled to free herself from the grasp of the two guards restraining her. “Let me see him!”

“Do you wish to add to his punishment?”

Sam stopped struggling.

“I hope for his sake that you have learned your lesson. Take her back to her quarters.” The Queen swept out of the courtyard with her Consort in tow.

The Commander of the Guard apologized as he locked her in, “I”m sorry, Ms. Samantha. The Queen has ordered no supper for you this evening. She wishes you to reflect on your behavior.”

Sam sat with her back against the headboard. Wrapping her arms around her bent knees, she considered her options. They couldn’t afford to wait for Daniel and Teal’c any longer. She needed to come up with an escape plan. She needed to get Jack out. Her mind running in circles, she drifted off into an exhausted sleep.

She woke to the sound of her door sliding open. Feigning sleep, she balled her right fist intending to strike an unexpected blow.

“Ms. Sam?”

“Nina?”

Sam sat up, squinting into the darkness. With only the pale light of the moon for illumination, she could barely make out the shape of Nina’s outline in the doorway. But when Nina stepped forward, Sam saw one eye was swollen shut. Dried blood, likely from her split lip, stained the top of her tunic. “Who did this?”

Ignoring the question, she handed Sam her pack “We must hurry. We must free your Jack tonight. It is not safe for either of you.” She winced as she moved slowly towards the door.

Sam noticed a large red stain on the back of the young woman’s pants. “Did Joz do this?”

Nina nodded. “Take us with you? Please?”

“How are we going to get into the dungeon?”

“After he was—finished—he passed out. I stole his keys and took your belongings. Your weapons must be at the palace as they were not with your packs.”

Sam placed a hand on her shoulder. “You did great, Nina. But what about the guards?”

“They have grown lazy. They will have found other _amusements_ to keep them occupied until just before first light.”

The two women made their way silently across the courtyard, Sam shuddered as they passed the raised dais. Images of the vicious flogging Jack had endured, fresh in her mind. _Hang on, Jack. I’m coming._

Nina was right about the guards. Some were passed out, surrounded by empty bottles strewn haphazardly on the dirt floor. Others could be heard down the hall, making so much noise that it would be almost impossible for them to hear sounds from the tiny block of cells.

She found Jack lying in the corner of the cell furthest from the door. Nina’s husband Otger kept watch from the adjacent cell.

“Quickly. He is hurt very bad.”

Sam needed no encouragement. As soon as Nina had unlocked the cell, she was kneeling beside Jack. “Sir? Can you hear me?”

When she received no response, she uncorked a vial of smelling salts from her pack. Jack groaned. “Carter?”

“I’m here, sir. We need to get you out of here. Can you walk?”

Sam gasped as he struggled to sit. His back was covered in deep lacerations from the flogging, the seeping wounds showing signs of infection. Apparently his ‘punishment’ hadn’t ended with the flogging, as dark purple bruises covered his face and torso.

Jack tried to reassure her. “I’m fine, Major. I assume you have a plan?”

But it was Nina’s husband, Otger, who answered. “There are caves north of here. If we hurry we can reach them before sunrise.” He pulled Jack’s arm over his shoulder to support his weight. “Come. We must hurry.”

Jack stumbled often, slowing their progress, while Otger and Sam did their best not to cause him any further pain. They’d been traveling for about an hour when Nina exclaimed, “There!”

“Won’t this be the first place the guards look?”

“Perhaps. But they will not enter. There is a story, told to me by my father’s father, of men who ventured into the caves never to be seen again. Many believe it is where the great spirit lives when he is not collecting the dead.”

“You need to rest, sir. And I want to treat some of those lacerations. They look like they are starting to get infected.”

“I’m fine, Carter. We should put more distance …” He stumbled, losing consciousness as he hit the ground hard.

“I will carry him now. Then we will rest.” The man scooped him up like a child and they hurried towards the cave system.

Sam shivered. The temperature had been falling rapidly and according to Otger, it would likely snow before dawn. She pressed two fingers against Jack’s carotid artery to check his pulse. Racing, as she’d feared, indicating he was beginning to suffer from hypothermia in addition to his other injuries.

“We must depart now, before the snows begin. Otherwise, we will leave tracks for the soldiers to follow.”

Sam stood to say her goodbyes. “Thank you both for all you’ve done. Be safe.”

“Carter.”

She knelt down so she could hear him, his voice weak and a bit slurred. “Sir?”

“Go with them.”

“What? No.”

“That’s an order, Major.”

“Well you can write me up for insubordination when we get back. We don’t leave anyone behind.”

“Pete’s waiting for you back home. You deserve to be happy. You’re not leaving anyone behind unless you stay here.”

“I am not leaving you.”

Jack tried to sit up. His next words were lost as his body was overcome by a coughing fit. A small amount of blood stained the rock floor. He’d hidden a broken rib from her. Again.

“Sir! You have a broken rib.”

Jack closed his eyes. “Probably from when Joz kicked me. Sam, I’m dying. Please follow my orders.”

“Ms. Sam?”

“You two go. I am not leaving him.” She glared defiantly at Jack.

“Spirits be with you.” The couple hurried out, anxious to stay ahead of the snow, and the Queen’s soldiers.

Sam knelt next to Jack. “Let me have a look at those ribs.”

“You have to get away from here. If Joz catches you …”

“Shh. Let me worry about that.” She removed her over shirt and untucked her t-shirt in preparation to remove it as well.

“What are you doing?”

“You’re suffering from hypothermia. We need to share body heat.”

“You didn’t get naked when we were trapped in Antartica!”

She shrugged. “We’ve been teammates for seven years. I doubt there’s anything either of us haven’t seen by now.”

“Carter …”

Ignoring his protests, she spooned against him, careful to avoid both his broken ribs and the lacerations on his back. His muscles were as taut as a board.

After a few moments of uncomfortable silence, Sam broached a subject they’d agree to leave in the room all those years ago. “Jack?”

“Mmm?”

“What did you mean earlier, when you said I wouldn’t be leaving anyone behind if I left you here?”

“Does it matter?”

“Yes.”

He squirmed back in an attempt to put some distance between them, but she held tight. “Why?”

“Stop trying to deflect. Do you think I could ever be happy, knowing that I’d left you here to die?”

“Sam, please.” He pleaded with his eyes.

She gasped as she recognized the same look as the one he’d given her from the other side of a force field, when she had been the one certain to die. He still loved her. He’d locked it in the room so well she’d convinced herself he no longer felt the same. Which is why she had agreed to go out with Pete in the first place. From his earlier comment, he apparently thought she no longer loved him. She needed to set him straight. “I’d rather die than lose you.”

He turned his head, refusing to look at her.

“I’m sorry I hurt you.”

“Carter. Stop. You deserve to be happy. You have your whole life ahead of you. Please, go while there’s still time.”

“No. It’s not true, you know. That you’d be leaving no one behind. If you won’t believe how much it would hurt me to lose you, think about Cassie. You’re like a father to her. And Daniel and Teal’c? They’re your brothers.”

He stayed silent for so long she thought he’d fallen asleep. She smiled when he kissed the top of her head.

“Thank you.”

As the sun’s morning rays danced on the walls near the cave entrance, she peered outside. Joz and his soldiers had set up camp two hundred yards away. So far, Otger’s supposition that the soldiers would be hesitant to enter the caves had been correct. But, Sam didn’t think superstition would keep them out forever. Joe wanted revenge. She returned to Jack’s side, frowning as she checked his pulse. Weak and thready. Last night his condition had turned grave. Delirious, he had attempted to flee the cave. Her heart had broken when he begged her to let him go so he could be reunited with Charlie. Her tears had convinced him to stay but he’d fallen unconscious shortly after.

She heard the soldiers forming up. They were out of time. She ran a wet cloth over Jack’s face before leaning down to kiss him. “I love you. Rest now. It will be over soon.”

Shouts came from outside. Joz’s men were panicking. _Was that a staff blast?_ She head the sound again, followed by the staccato of a P-90 on semi-automatic. A thunder of footsteps approached. “Sam? Are you in here?”

“Daniel! Over here! The Colonel needs urgent medical attention!”

“Jacob over here. I’ve found them. Bring the healing device!”

Much to Sam’s relief, her father appeared with a Tok’ra healing device in hand. “Are you hurt?”

“Not me. Jack. Hurry, he won’t wake up. I …”

Jacob patted her shoulder as he hurried over to where Jack lay unmoving. He put on the hand device. “What do you know about his injuries?”

“He’s got at least one broken rib where the Queen’s consort kicked him. He was coughing up blood, so either it punctured a lung or he has other internal bleeding. His back is covered in lacerations from being flogged. A lot of them are infected.”

Jacob closed his eyes and held the healing device over Jack’s torso. SG-1 watched silently, allowing him to concentrate.

After what seemed like an eternity to Sam, but in reality had only been a few minutes, Jacob slumped back exhausted.

“Dad?” Sam moved to kneel beside her father.

“I’m okay. A little tired.”

“Colonel O’Neill?”

“I repaired his broken ribs. There were two, and the punctured lung. He was running a very high fever because of all the infected wounds, so we did our best to boost his body’s defenses. You didn’t mention he’d been stabbed.”

“Stabbed? I didn’t know. He didn’t tell me.”

Jacob held her hand. “That sounds like Jack. He probably didn’t want to worry you.”

“Will he be okay?” She asked in a small voice.

Jacob nodded. Selmak and I were able to heal the worst of it. After we’ve rested, we’ll work on his other injuries. It probably won’t even scar.” He patted Sam’s hand. “I’ve got a ship. Teal’c?”

“I will carry O’Neill.”

Sam noticed Otger and Nina waiting outside the cave entrance. She paused to speak to them. “Do I have you to thank for bringing help?”

“When we arrived in the city, many were talking of the strangers who had come in a ship. They said two had visited before with the two who had been taken by the Queen. We figured these must be your friends so we sought them out.”

Daniel joined the group. “Thank you again. We wouldn’t have located them without you.” He turned to Sam, “There’s something in the caves that interfered with the sensors from orbit.”

Sam hugged Nina and Otger. “Thank you. Will you be in danger for helping us?”

“Yes. The Consort is dead. The Queen will be furious.”

“Do you have anyone to take you in?”

“No. We have been prisoners for many cycles of the moon. There is no one.”

“Come with us.”

“Sam …”

“Even if they are not allowed on Earth, my father can drop them on a suitable planet. We did as much for Harry Maybourne, which was way more than he deserved. It is the least we can do to repay them.”

Daniel nodded and led the group towards Jacob’s Tel’tak.

“Dad, this is Nina and Otger. They’re in danger because they helped us.”

“We’ve met. We need to leave. I’m picking up a large movement of troops heading this way.”

Teal’c and Jacob took the controls while Daniel and Sam led their new friends towards the rear where Jack was resting.

“Are you hungry? These don’t taste like much, but they are edible.” He handed MREs to Otger and Nina. “Sam, you should eat something too. You look like you’ve lost weight.”

Sam stared at the still unconscious Jack. “Not as much as the Colonel. I’m not hungry.”

“Sam — if Jack were awake he’d order you to eat something. Not taking care of yourself won’t help him get better. Eat a little, then get some rest.”

“Daniel’s right. Jack’s going to be fine.” Jacob dipped his head, his eyes flashed as Selmak took control. “We must rest so we can use the healing device to finish repairing the damage. Do not worry, Samantha. Colonel O’Neill is strong. He will make a full recovery.”

“Thank you.” She sat down beside Jack, not taking her eyes off him as she finished her MRE. She stretched out on the sleeping bag next to his and was soon asleep.

Jacob watched his daughter sleeping peacefully, her body draped over her commanding officer. He opened his mouth to wake her, only to be chastised by his symbiote.

_Don’t you dare say it, Jacob Carter._

_He’s her commanding officer. It’s inappropriate, not to mention against the regs. It will ruin her career._

_Are you finished?_

_What? Don’t tell me you’re okay with it. He’s not good enough for her._

_Spoken like a true father. He loves her. He would never hurt her. You know this, even if you are too stubborn to admit it._

_I like Jack. I respect him. But …_

_She loves him._

_She has terrible taste in men._

_Perhaps in the past. But he makes her happy._

_But …_

_You will lose her if you interfere. Besides, it appears that Colonel O’Neill is also very protective of her reputation. George has told you that they have not broken your precious regulations, despite their strong feelings._

_Yet. But I know my daughter, if she thinks the only way to have him is to give up her career …_

_He won’t let her._

_I wish I was as certain._

_Trust them. Trust her._

Samantha stirred, perhaps sensing her father’s scrutiny. She panicked when she discovered her compromising position. She removed her arm from around Jack’s waist and scooted back.

Jack stirred at the sudden movement.

“No, Sam. Don’t wake him. It’s better if he’s asleep for the next part. Do you think you can give him a sedative?”

“Why?”

“Some of his clothing has adhered to the deeper wounds. It’s going to hurt like hell to peel the bits away, but I don’t dare knit the wounds without it. Maybe you should ask Daniel to help. I’m sure Teal’c could use a break piloting the ship.”

“No. I’m not leaving him.”

“Sam.”

“No.”

_Jacob, let her be._

“This isn’t a good idea.”

“I’ve seen him without a shirt before, Dad. We’ve been teammates for seven years.”

Jacob frowned but held his peace. “Alright. Normally, I’d suggest waiting until we were back at the SGC, but the trip will take several days and if I wait that long, he’ll be left with a lot of scars.”

Sam nodded. “I think we’d better wake him and ask him if he wants to be out for this. He won’t like it if we just sedate him …”

“You know how stubborn he can be.”

“It should be his choice. I won’t take that from him. Not after …”

“Not after what?”

“It’s my fault! He told me he had a bad feeling, but I shut him down. I told him we needed their technology in the fight against Anubis.”

“So how does that make it your fault?”

“Because they didn’t understand the technology. It wasn’t theirs. They ‘acquired’ it through genocide. They offered to ‘buy’ me so I could fix their weapons.” Sam shuddered. “Everything they did to Jack was to coerce me to cooperate.”

“Not your fault, Carter.”

“Jack! Uh, I mean, sir. My father thinks it would be better if you were sedated for the next part.”

“It’s going to hurt like hell Jack. I won’t lie.”

“Carter, why don’t you go relieve Teal’c?”

“No. I’m not leaving you.”

“Please. Even Jaffa have to pee.” He locked eyes with Jacob.

“Fine. I’ll be right back.” She glared at her father.

_Tread carefully Jacob._

“I’m sorry, Jake. I should have gotten her out of there.”

“Did something happen?”

“I … I’m not sure. She won’t say, but the Queen’s Consort, Joz, said some things before he used my back for target practice. Don’t waste anymore energy on me. I deserve the reminder of how I failed her.”

“I’ll talk to her. After I’ve finished healing you.” He placed a firm hand on Jack’s shoulder. “You both need to have a long talk when we get back, but I’m not going to leave you in pain. Sam would never forgive me. Now, let me help you before she comes back. Do you trust me to give you a sedative? For her sake?”

“Okay. Thanks Dad.”

Jacob chuckled. “You’re lucky my daughter is just on the other side of that door.”

Sam and Daniel knelt on each side of their team leader. “What do you need, Jacob?”

“We need to peel away his shirt, remove all the pieces embedded in his wounds. It won’t be pretty. There will be quite a bit of blood.” He shot a look at his daughter.

“Let’s do this. Janet always complains he doesn’t stay out for long whenever she’s had to sedate him.”

“Sam ….”

“I’m staying.”

The three worked in silence. Jacob had been right, there was a lot of blood, but they finished at last. Sam swiped at her eyes brimming with tears.

_Jacob, we need to concentrate on Colonel O’Neill. Samantha is strong. Let her be for now._

He passed the healing device slowly over Jack’s back, the lacerations healing up without scarring. After twenty minutes, he set the down the device and slumped back on his heels.

“Dad, thank you. You should get some sleep.” Sam smiled at him in gratitude.

“Okay, kiddo. Maybe you should eat something. It’ll be a while before he wakes.”

Sam looked as if she were about to argue, but surprised him by acquiescing. He left it to Daniel to make sure she ate and got some rest.

“Mister Jacob?”

“It’s just Jacob, Otger. What can I do for you?”

“I overheard you speaking with Mister Jack earlier. I didn’t mean too intrude …”

Jacob waved off his apology. “I know. It’s fine, Otger.”

“Joz, the Queen’s Consort, took pleasure in tricking women into performing—favors. He would promise them extra food or better treatment for their man. Then he would taunt us men as he beat us or withheld our food rations. But your daughter, Ms. Samantha, he could not trick her. This made him very angry. He told Mister Jack that his woman must not love him, because she wasn’t willing to ….”

“So why did Jack think he …”

“On the day of his ‘punishment’ Joz did try to force his attentions on Miss Samantha, but she kicked him hard where men are most vulnerable.”

“That sounds like Sam,” Jacob said with pride. But upon noticing Otger’s downcast expression he asked, “What’s wrong Otger?”

“Joz was humiliated. He had tricked Nina before, but after my Nina met Miss Samantha she no longer believed his lies. When my Nina refused him, he became enraged. He forced himself …”

Jacob laid a hand on Otger’s shoulder. “Is she injured?” He held up the healing device. “I can help her.”

“But you must rest …”

“Let me at least try. I can heal the worst damage and then finish up after I’ve recovered.”

“Thank you Mister Jacob. I can see where Miss Samantha gets her kindness.”

Jacob chuckled. “No, that she gets from her mother.”

Otger grasped Jacob’s forearm. “Joz taunted Mister Jack while he was beating him. He told him he was going to enjoy breaking his woman. But we escaped before Joz could lay a hand on her.”

“And Jack was too injured to realize … Thank you for telling me Otger. It has eased my mind.”

“What about Mister Jack?”

“He’ll recover. Sam will make sure of it. Let’s go have a look at Nina.”

Otger smiled and led Jacob over to where Nina slept amongst the supply crates.

Sam climbed the ladder to his observation deck, two bottles of Guinness in hand. He sat on a lawn chair staring out at the night sky lost in thought, his telescope and laptop ignored. She cleared her throat. “Another beer?”

“Carter?” He turned, surprised to find her standing there.

“Your door was unlocked. I called out, but you must not have heard me.”

He played with the hem of his sweatshirt, not looking at her. Things had been awkward between them since their rescue from P7C-892. It had been a month and Janet refused to clear him for active duty until he regained a majority of the weight he had lost. “What do you want, Carter?”

She flinched at the sharpness of his tone. “What, I can’t check on a friend? We’ve been worried about you sir.”

“Are we?”

“Are we what?”

“Friends. Look, you’ve done your duty. You can go and tell the doc I’m fine.” He scooted forward to look through his telescope, a clear sign she had been dismissed.

“How can you even ask that? We’ve been teammates for seven years and you don’t think we’re friends?”

He shook his head, rising to move as far away as the small platform would allow. He stared out into his backyard, taking a long swig of his beer. He remained silent for so long, Sam wondered if he would say anything at all.

“How’s Pete?”

The question was asked so softly she almost missed it.

“I don’t know. I broke up with him as soon as we got back.”

He turned to her in confusion. “Why?” He shook his head as if to chase the thought away. “Forgive me. It’s none of my business.”

Sam joined him at the rail, their shoulders touching as they looked up at the clear night sky. He was turtling. Pulling away from her to protect himself from being hurt. She recognized the behavior because she did it herself. One more thing they had in common. She needed to tread carefully. “Because when I agreed to go out on the blind date with him, I had unresolved feelings for someone else. Someone I thought no longer had feelings for me.” She nudged him.

“Carter, I …” He ran his fingers through his hair, in a familiar gesture. He was was getting frustrated.

This wasn’t the best time for this conversation. He was feeling vulnerable, no doubt worried about whether he would be cleared for active duty. She touched his arm, “We can talk about this later, once Janet has cleared you for duty. Promise me you won’t shut me out?”

“You mean if she clears me. It’s not certain, Carter.”

“When she clears you.”

“You’re stubborn.”

“I learned from the best. Now promise.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He gave her a mock salute.

“Smart ass.”

“That would be smart ass, sir, to you.”

“Nope.” She tugged him towards the ladder. “I brought Chinese food. And you’re going to eat everything on your plate.”

“When did you get so bossy?”

“Since my CO has been refusing to eat so he can get back to work, I’ve had to take up the slack.” She smiled at him, to show she was teasing.

He rolled his eyes and gently pushed her towards the kitchen. “You know where everything’s kept.”

She turned to look at him, “I’ve missed this. I’ve missed us.” She held up a hand to forestall his protest. “I know, for now we’ll lock things back in the room. But, after we defeat the Goa’uld …”

“Yes?”

“Then I am blowing up the door to that damn room.” She smiled saucily at him, leaving a stunned Jack O’Neill in her wake.

**Author's Note:**

> For the hc_bingo amnesty challenge: Prompts are: extortion, whipping/flogging,hypothermia,lacerations/knife wound.
> 
> GenPrompt: Coercion


End file.
